Steering Reaction Force Control for Safer Lane Changes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems do not effectively facilitate lane changes while minimizing the risk of contact with approaching vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that adjusts the steering reaction force based on the lane change status and vehicle approach conditions, providing a smaller reaction force during lane changes when no approaching vehicles are detected, and a standard or increased reaction force when approaching vehicles are present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the steering reaction force is reduced to facilitate lane change operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to increased likelihood of contact with approaching vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The steering reaction force is made dynamically adjustable based on detected lane change operations and vehicle approach conditions. The control device switches between a first reaction force (when no lane change is detected), a second reaction force (when lane change is detected but no approaching vehicle), and a third reaction force (when approaching vehicle is detected), allowing the system to adapt the force characteristics in real-time to resolve the contradiction between ease of operation and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The magnitude of the steering reaction force is changed as a control parameter based on the detected operational state. When a lane change operation is detected and no approaching vehicle is present, the reaction force magnitude is reduced to facilitate the maneuver. When an approaching vehicle is detected, the reaction force magnitude is increased or maintained at standard levels to prevent contact, thus using parameter changes to resolve the contradiction
2Reliability
If the steering reaction force is increased to prevent contact with approaching vehicles, then the safety is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as lane change becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the steering reaction force based on real-time detection of lane change operations and approaching vehicles. Only when both conditions are met (lane change detected AND approaching vehicle present) does the system apply the higher third reaction force, otherwise it applies the reduced second reaction force, thus maintaining safety only when necessary while preserving ease of operation otherwise
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the magnitude parameter of the steering reaction force based on the operational context. The force magnitude is increased to the third level only when safety is at risk (approaching vehicle detected during lane change), and reduced to the second level when safety is not compromised, thereby using conditional parameter changes to resolve the contradiction
Data Source
AI summary
During execution of steering reaction force control, when a lane change of a host vehicle is made, a vehicle control device sets a steering reaction force given to a steering operation in the direction of the lane change of the host vehicle to a reaction force of a smaller value than a reaction force of a standard value. Further, when a vehicle approach condition that another vehicle traveling in a lane on a side to which the lane of the host vehicle is to be changed is approaching the host vehicle from behind is met at the time when a lane change of the host vehicle is made, the vehicle control device does not set the steering reaction force given to the steering operation in the direction of the lane change of the host vehicle to a reaction force of a value smaller than the standard value.